iTunes Lowers Price of DRM-Free Tracks

By the Betanews Staff | Published October 16, 2007, 12:18 PM

Apple has silently dropped the price of its DRM-free iTunes Plus tracks, which come as 256kbps AAC. Instead of $1.29, the tracks will cost the same as standard songs with DRM: 99-cents. The move is seemingly in response to Amazon's launch of its DRM-free music store that sells 256kbps MP3s for between 89 cents to 99 cents each.

Although the iTunes Plus songs were individually $1.29, Apple usually sold full iTunes Plus albums at the same price as their DRM counterpart. The company is expected to make an official announcement Wednesday, along with bulking up its DRM-free offering with additional independent labels.

Comments

I'd still rather have MP3's over AAC. MP3's will play in any MP3 player, not just iPods and maybe two other players that may be compatible. And I don't have to have that horrible iTunes installed on my computer.

Score: 0

|

^This^

Score: 0

|

Some are $.99 and most are still $1.29.

Score: 0

|

There you go....the beginning of the iEnd. Apple didn't call this shot, the industry called it and they had to respond.

Score: 0

|

"iEnd"

Die.

Score: 0

|

iDie?

Score: 0

|

Yes, you die.

Score: 0

|

He could be a vampire. You never know.

Score: 0

|

I wonder how long it'll be before the first idiot cries foul, citing the fact they paid $1.29 last weekend, etc.

Followed by demands for a refund.

I also wonder if this price change will be reflected on UK iTunes? If not, UK pricing will suddenly appear even more of a rip-off than it already is.

Score: 0

|

Your ignorance speaks volumes. "laughs"

Score: 0

|

Yeah, no-one would ever sue over something stupid...

Oh, wait...

Score: 0

|

"I also wonder if this price change will be reflected on UK iTunes?"

Don't be silly. Of course it won't.

We UK citizens are already lubed up. We did go in to the US's farcical war without being asked, remember.

Score: 0

|

Hey PC_TOOL

I bet your Steve Ballmer in disguise

Score: 0

|

/poking fun at ya................

Score: 0

|

lol, except for us Americans.

So pathetic.

Score: 0

|

Nope. Not even "Fake" Steve Ballmer.

Perhaps I could be somewhat related. 6 degrees and all that jazz...

I should try to hit him up for a few mil.

Score: 0

|

Silverlight 3 goes live on Microsoft's servers

Microsoft's answer to Adobe's Flash is (unofficially) here, with prospects of higher-speed, higher-resolution video and for the first time, 3D.

Three Android phones on the way from T-Mobile in 2009

T-Mobile's myTouch 3G, launched Wednesday, will be followed by two more Android phones later this year, but neither of them will be HTC's Hero.

Best Buy-brand TVs to get TiVo

A new alliance will place the retailer's own brand alongide the manufacturers, and could also lead to future partnerships on services.

LTE still lacks a voice

The 4G Wireless standard that Verizon hopes to show off before this year is out is still at a loss for (spoken) words.

Data sharing among online advertisers: Is sanity in sight?

Lockdown with Angela Gunn In the middle of a 15-page plea not to get regulated, a spark of smart thinking.

T-Mobile's strategy to combat Apple's iPhone with Android

With a trio of Android phones now in the pipeline for 2009, T-Mobile hopes to break the iPhone's emerging stranglehold.

EC's Reding: Government should act as broker for media downloads

If Internet media services don't step up and build an attractive way for users to start paying for downloads, a commissioner says, government may do the job instead.

Sony TVs get Netflix, still no PS3

Though it's coming in behind LG, Samsung, and Microsoft, Sony will begin to offer Netflix streaming, too.

Google Chrome OS: Too little, too early

Carmi Levy: Wide Angle Zoom Don't start the revolution just yet, says Carmi, who isn't so certain Chrome OS will be the "Windows Killer."

GAO pen test brings the hammer down on federal rent-a-cops

But are the computers to blame for the contract-guard fiasco at FPS?

What's Next: Chrome OS will have at least some friends in high places

Also: South Korea takes another round of DDoS abuse, and Neelie Kroes and Steve Ballmer may shake hands before she exits stage left.

Report: Evidence of further creativity with Windows 7 upgrade prices

A ZDNet blogger did some serious digging for clues as to a reported price break on multiple Windows 7 Home Premium licenses, and may have found it.